Protection of personal data
The following information relates to the protection of your personal data. This is the data that allows you to be identified, directly or indirectly, such as your first name, surname, e-mail address and IP address.
Personal data is collected when:
- You surf on the pages of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, in your browser, those pages begin with ‘https://www.astro.oma.be’. When a link takes you to another portal site, a website, an online application or a social network, you must check the terms and conditions for the processing of personal data used by those responsible for those services
- You contact us
You are protected in accordance with:
- European Regulation 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (entered into force on 25 May 2018) on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (GDPR)
Legal bases and purposes of the processing operations
Personal data is collected and processed with the aim of:
- Informing you
- Answering your questions
- Handling the files and records that concern you
Data is also collected and processed anonymously:
- For statistical and qualitative purpose, with the aim of improving our services
- To provide you with an answer in your language
If your request for information or services is intended for another department, we provide you with the particulars of that department and you are free to choose whether or not to contact them.
Processed data
In the situations listed in the table below, personal data is collected and processed automatically.
| SITUATIONS | DATA COLLECTED AND PROCESSED |
|---|---|
| You visit one or more pages | IP address |
| You contact us through an electronic form or e-mail |
|
The other personal data that may be processed is listed in the data processing register.
Data that is not of a personal nature is automatically collected without linking it to your IP address and therefore with respect for your privacy. It is used to generate statistics and to improve the content of the portal site:
- Language selection
- Search engine used
- Keywords used
- The website from which you came
- The pages you viewed
- The duration of each page view
- The list of files downloaded
- The date and time of access
- The browser used
- The platform and/or operating system installed on your computer
Use of cookies
Cookies are small information files that are automatically recorded on your computer’s hard drive when you visit a website, and that include a unique identification number.
These cookies make it possible to simplify website access and browsing, and also increase the access speed and the ease of use. They can also be used to customise the website according to your personal preferences. Cookies also make it possible to analyse the use of a website to identify and remove any problems.
The configuration of most browsers allows you to accept or refuse cookies and be notified whenever a cookie is used. You are free to refuse these cookies, although this can hinder optimum browsing and the functionality of the website’s services. Please consult the help function on your browser for more information. All the cookies assigned are automatically deleted at the end of a user session.
Storage duration
The ROB is committed to storing the data no longer than necessary for the purpose for which it was processed.
In exceptional cases, such as in the context of legal proceedings, your personal data may be stored for a longer period.
Security
The Royal Observatory of Belgium guarantees the security (integrity and confidentiality) of your personal data. It is protected against unauthorised access, unauthorised use, loss and unauthorised changes.
To this end, we use security methods and procedures that we will not describe in detail here for security reasons.
Please note: Appropriate physical, technical and organisational measures are taken to guarantee a level of security that is appropriate with regard to the risks.
Right of inspection, modification, objection and deletion
You have certain rights relating to the personal data that we use: the right of inspection, the right of modification, the right to object and the right to have data deleted.
Your application will be processed within 30 calendar days. If your application is complex or if our department has to deal with a large number of applications, that period may be extended by 60 days.
Please send an e-mail or letter to our Data Protection Officer, together with a scanned copy or paper copy of your identity document containing your signature to the following address in order to exercise your rights:
Via e-mail:
dpo-as@oma.be
Via mail:
Royal Observatory of Belgium
Data Protection officer
Ringlaan 3
1180 BRUSSEL
Complaints
If you consider that the Royal Observatory of Belgium has not processed your personal data in accordance with the applicable regulations, you are entitled to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority:
Data Protection Authority
Rue de la Presse 35
1000 Brussels
E-mail: contact@apd-gba.be
Contact
For more information about our data protection policy, you can contact our Data Protection Officer:
Via e-mail:
dpo-as@oma.be
Via mail:
Royal Observatory of Belgium
Data Protection officer
Ringlaan 3
1180 BRUSSEL